You're kidding me
by the.shadow.of.smoke
Summary: It's a normal day... until Yuki comes home to Shigure dragging Kyo and Tohru away. But why? And where? And what will Yuki do in the meantime? Fortunately, his possibly crimminally insane Student Council members have ideas!
1. Chapter 1: The beginning

"You're kidding me."

Yuki stared flatly at the note on the door. It was written in a flashy, girl-like script, which was why Yuki knew it was definitely from Shigure.

It read:

"'Yuki:

I am going far, far away. Away from Mitsuru. Did you know she has a tracking system on me? Anyway, so I dragged Kyo along with me, to help me hide, and of course he wantedto bring Tohru. And I couldn't say no to our little flower!! =) So basically, you're all alone for… a really long time. Hopefully. I don't want Mitsuru to find me _too _quickly… Good luck!! =)

Shigure Sohma (the most awesome and great-i-fi-ed being to ever walk the Earth. ) '"

Yuki groaned. _Now_ what was he supposed to do? Find Shigure? Tohru would probably be okay with Kyo… Not that Yuki liked the idea.

Talk Mitsuru out of suicide again? But, Yuki supposed, she would be tracking Shigure, so it probably wasn't a good idea to find the suicidal editor.

Tell Akito that Shigure dumped him to run away? Yuki shuddered at the thought. Yes, _that_ would be a lovely, friendly conversation….

_In Yuki's mind…_

Yuki walked into the main house, perfectly confident and humming a song about not be brutally murdered or abused by Akito. "Hello, Akii!" he called, and he saw the girl **(A/N: Yuki knows she's a girl. Don't ask me why. Please, just don't.)**

…saw the girl sitting in a room with Kagura, Rin, and Kisa. They were having a slumber party together and doing their makeup. "And Kagura-chan, Rin-chan, and Kisa-chan. How are you?"

"Perfectly wonderful!" Kisa gushed, "We were just about to do our hair so that we could go outside,

an—"

She was cut off by Rin, who, as a change of pace, was wearing a spaghetti-strap, knee-length dress that was not indecent in any way. "What do you want?" she asked cheerfully. "I think Tohru's at the house… why don't you see if she's there?"

"Ah, no. I came to talk to Akii. Shigure left to run from his editor, and dragged Kyo along to defend him, and Kyo wouldn't leave without Tohru, so Tohru's gone and I think they're living in the… states and now I really don't know what I should do, should I—"

"Stay here!" Akito trilled. "We've got your own room right on the left of the hallway…

_End Yuki's mind/daydream_

Yuki grimaced. He figured he'd be even more scared of that instead of…

_Actuality_

Yuki ducked into the Sohma house, running into Akito at the door, Kureno shadowing him. "Akito." Yuki said blankly, hiding his fear.

"What is it?" Akito's dark eyes narrowed in a playful but predatory way. Like a cats'. Like a cats' eyes right before it sank its teeth into the helpless prey. The cat was having fun. The prey wasn't.

"Shigure is running…" Yuki faltered, Akito's cold, cruel eyes were taunting him now, and it seemed like a worse idea than ever to come here.

"Shigure went to the states to escape his editor. He took Kyo with him." Yuki turned to go; now would be the time to make his escape, before Akito from reached out, his hand curling on Yuki's shoulder, sharp nails piercing his skin…

He was too late. "What did you say?" Shadows hid Akito's dangerous look that always bordered on the edge of insanity.

"Shigure left. I couldn't stop him," Yuki defended himself, eyes widening in horror as he watched those dark pinpricks of cruelty, insanity, and malice. Those eyes…

_End actuality_

Yes… Better to wait, wait and hope that no one would notice that Shigure was gone. Ayame probably wouldn't… He was too busy with his shop; it was almost the end of the school year, and apparently…

_Flashback_

"Everyone wants new clothes now!" Ayame had trilled, adding more doubt to his brothers' question of sanity.

"Yes, yes, summer with everyone running around in their new bathing suits at the beach, all provided by none other than the glorious me, Ayame!" At the last word, Ayame had leapt on the table and yelled triumphantly, his purple eyes flashing as he held his arm out victoriously.

"Umm… Ayame-san?" Tohru had asked.

"Yes, my lovely!" Ayame was still not meeting anyone eyes, string off into the distance in his egoistic way.

"Would you…" Her face was screwed up in concentration. "Would you… get off the table, please, sir?" Her eyes still shut, she continued, "There are footprints…" She looked tenser than someone finding out whether they had won seven quadrillion dollars.

_End flashback_

Yuki seriously doubted that anyone would care that Kyo was missing… he was the cat after all, and no one at school in particular was so obsessed with him that they would have stalked him on his way home from school to find out where he lived so that now when he disappeared, she would follow the same trail to find him.

No, Yuki doubted there was anyone as stupid as that.

And thus, Yuki reflected, he was all alone. He hoped that no one would come here, finally Yuki could do things (such as homework) in peace.

Yuki gave a deep sigh of contentment and swung the door open.

Because it wasn't a cliché Fanfic, no one was standing inside. The rat headed up to his room, enraptured by the peace. He actually managed to do his homework without the ceiling crashing down on him, and it was a legitimate concern, as it had happened before…

Yuki was on his final math problem, when the doorbell rang.

Crap.

Now he was going to have to be social.

That is, if he was worried about leaving someone out there, just waiting forever (until they gave up) for an answer that would never come.

_Somewhere else…_

"Kyo-o-o-o," a black haired man complained to his orange haired companion in front. "Why are we here, anyway?"

This appeared to give the orangey a psychotic need to kill. "Shut up, **** dog! I'm not the reason why we're here, you *** ** * *****!"

The black haired man cowered. "It thought only Yuki-kun was referred to in that way," he whimpered, then turned to his other companion, a brunette with a perpetually happy smile on her face. "Make him stop, Tohru," he moaned.

"O-okay, Shigure. Kyo-kun, could you stop yelling?" she stuttered.

"Do you do everything the **** dog tells you?" he shouted, although his voice was lowered slightly, and he stalked on ahead instead of remaining and yelling for ten more minutes, like usual.

_Somewhere else else_

"Shi-Shigure, I-I'll get y-y-you." A pretty brunette shivered as she looked at the gadget in her hand. "You can't escape me. Never. Not ever."

_Back with Yuki_

The doorbell rang again.

Yuki was perfectly content with sitting around and not saying a word, barely breathing until the unwelcome stranger left.

"HEY YUN-YUN!!!!" the stranger screamed.

Yuki froze. Crap.


	2. Chapter 2: Yes, it's short, I know

**Did I forget to say this? I don't own Fruits Basket. Now, if I did... he he he he he...**

* * *

Yuki was perfectly content with sitting around and not saying a word, barely breathing until the unwelcome stranger left.

"HEY YUN-YUN!!!!" the stranger screamed.

Yuki froze. Crap.

* * *

And yes, I know it's short. I'm smart. Despite popular opinion. Just have to finish the next chapter.... -strains-


	3. Chapter 3: An unwanted visitor

**Don't own Fruits Basket. Otherwise, Yuki would be mine... he he he he he...**

* * *

"YUUUUUUUUN-YUUUUUUN!!!" The scream came again, louder this time. If that was possible, that is.

"I'm coming in!" the stranger announced, and Yuki heard a loud crash in the direction of the door.

"You're kidding me," Yuki whispered to himself. "He did not just… he didn't kick down the door. He can't have." And yet Yuki was left with the sinking truth that he did, in fact, crash the door down.

"Hey Yun-yun!" A grinning, black-haired boy stood at the entranceway of Yuki's room. "Waz up, mah homey?" He attempted to do a punk imitation, and failed miserably.

'Please, Kakeru,' Yuki begged in his mind, 'Please tell me you aren't hear. Please, please, please.'

"Ah!" Kakeru did a highly girlish gasp of delight, and grabbed Yuki's homework. "A love note?" His dark eyes glimmered with interest. His eyes roved over the math homework that he undoubtedly didn't understand.

"What's this?" He smacked himself on the side of the face, his mouth open in a shocked disbelief.

"A love note? _To Machi_?"

"What?" Yuki felt his face burning; he hadn't written anything of the sort! "Let— me— see!" The silver haired boy groaned, lunging at the black haired one, which had an evil grin on his face.

Yuki snatched the paper away from the boy almost instantly, the rat defeating the human effortlessly. Then again, the rat had had actual training.

"You imbecile, Kakeru." Yuki felt like smacking the confident grin off of his face. "This is math. Math… Home… work…" Yuki glared.

"No," Kakeru seemed deeply disappointed that the Student Council President hadn't caught on yet. "You haven't deciphered it yet. Once you decipher it, it clearly reads, 'Oh Machi! How I long to gaze into thy beautiful eyes and hear thine sweet, sweet voice!'"

Yuki cut the possibly insane boy off. "First off, _there is no code_! Second, you do realize that she's your sister? That's almost incest! Third, I don't like her!"

Kakeru smirked, but didn't say a word. This made Yuki want to shove him out a window even more, but he held himself back.

Barely.

"So, _what the heck_ are you doing here?" Yuki asked, trying to maintain his calm again.

"I followed you," Kakeru said proudly. "Don't you remember?"

_-Flashback-_

"So can I see your house? Can I, can I, can I?' Kakeru panted as he caught up to the President.

"No." Yuki said flatly.

Kakeru fell back a few steps, and Yuki, seizing this opportunity, launched himself forward with new vigor. "Yun-yun's so mean," he complained to Kimi.

'Yun-yun won't let you see his house?" Kimi's shocked voice floated up to Yuki's ears.

"I know!" Kakeru moaned, and there was a thud. Yuki assumed the insane boy had fallen to the ground dramatically.

"I know!" Kimi gave an excited squeal. "Let's follow him home!"

Yuki turned; his normally tranquil gray eyes flashing sparks of anger. "No," he glowered, in a dangerous voice, "If you value your life, _do not_ follow me _anywhere_." A passerby could almost see a purple aura surrounding the Prince.

Kakeru sniffled. "See what I mean?"

"Oooohh, Yun-yun's being forceful," Kimi cooed.

Naohito stormed up to the dramatic couple. "Get a move on!" he shouted. "What are you doing here, still standing around, and…"

Yuki tuned Nao out. He had really had enough of Student Council.

_-End flashback-_

"Oh," Yuki muttered, furious at himself for actually believing that they might have given up after just a few words. But if Kakeru was here, then where was…

"Oh, yeah," Kakeru said cheerfully, "Kimi's coming. Actually, she should be here now." A momentary frown crossed his face, but it vanished in seconds. "I wonder what's keeping her…?"

'Hopefully a lot,' Yuki begged in his mind. 'I don't think I can take this.'

A girly trilling was heard clearly from the downstairs. "Hel-lo-o!" Kimi trilled. "I'm here now!" She flounced up the stairs, grinning from ear to ear.

"Weren't we awesome? Weren't we great?" Kimi turned to Yuki, begging for approval, like a dog begging for a bone.

"No, neither." Yuki gave a cold glare to the over-dramatic, unwanted guests. "Get out."

"But- but-" Kimi pouted, sticking her bottom lip out in an irresistible way.

But it was resistible for the Prince, who hadn't hated anyone more than these two. Even Kyo.

"Nothing," the rat growled, "Leave. _Now._"

Kimi had lost attention with Yuki, instead, she picked up his math homework.

"A love letter!" she gasped, clearly following Kakeru's idea. "To Machi?" There was a frown in the perfect girl's face. "But why not me?" She read the homework aloud, "Oh Machi! How I long to gaze into thy beautiful eyes and hear thine sweet, sweet voice! How may I not be by you side by choice, for your greatness leaves me begging for some remnants, oh, Machi! Machi, how beautiful thine name," Kimi gave a dramatic sigh.

Yuki had been distracted by Kakeru attempting to "decipher" Yuki's other homework. "Let— go!" the rat panted. Being around the endlessly cheery and excited couple always drained Yuki.

"Seriously, what are you doing here?" Yuki slumped against the wall, eyes shut, trying to regain some self-control and a way to control them.

"'Cause we followed you home. Didn'tcha catch that, Mr. President Sir?" Kakeru snapped to mock-attention.

"And you're not worried at all that that's not at all stalkerish?" Yuki cast about for some reason to make them leave him.

"Lo-o-ok," Kimi had hopped into Yuki's chair and was now swiveling it madly. "We didn't want you to be alone. So we followed you."

Yuki's brow furrowed. "How did you know…"

"Shigure-chan told us." Kakeru responded promptly.

Yuki froze. "You know him?" Incredulously was all that could be heard in the rat's voice. "You know him, and 'chan'? You're friends?!?"

Now Yuki knew he was having a dream. Except this was more like a nightmare.

"What's wrong, Commander?" Kakeru slapped the 'Commander'.

He could feel it. He wasn't dreaming. Not at all.

Yuki groaned. What was he supposed to do with these two, then?

There was a shout from below. "Hey, why's the door crashed?"

"Oh!" Kimi leapt up happily. "Looks like they're got here!"

_They?_

Yuki swayed on his feet.

Please, whoever you are, make this end. Now. Yuki prayed to a higher order.

* * *

SO please, I invite you to read and reveiw!!

...

Pretty please?


	4. Chapter 4: The Proposition

Sorry. I know it's been ages. XD

Kyo: I hate being stuck with Shigure! Get me out of there!

Me: Would you hate being stuck in a closet more?

Kyo:...

Kyo: Probably not.

Me: -headdesk-

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket. If I did, I would be _drawing_ Fruits Basket, not typing it.**

* * *

Apparently higher orders hated Yuki, for he could hear thundering on the stairs. Up ran Akio and Kaito, the " 2-D Iend-frays" **(A/N: I think Natsuki Takaya talks about them, but never gives them a name)** who routinely teased Kyo. Apparently they had decided it was time to expand to Yuki.

"Manabe!" Akio, the darker-haired one yelled.

"Dude!" Kakeru slapped high-fives with them.

Kaito peered out from his hair at Yuki. "Nice of you to throw this party, Sohma."

"Party?" He shot dagger glares at Kakeru and Kimi. "You invited people to a freaking _party_?" he snapped.

Kakeru appeared hang-dog after Yuki reprimanding. "We didn't want you to be lonely," he insisted.

"Yeah," Akio chimed in, "We didn't want President Yun-yun all alooooone on a Friday night. We were only being nice."

"Absolutely!" Kaito's head was bobbling.

But what cut right to the heart of the matter was Kimi clumping to the floor in depression.

Yuki was alarmed by the pretty girl's sudden descent to the floor, but Kakeru, Akio, and Kaito took it in stride, not surprised at all.

Yuki dropped to his knee beside the girl. Was she having a heart attack or whatever? Yuki had no romantic interest in the girl, and though she often annoyed him, he didn't want her to _die_.

She was spasming now, and Yuki tried to recall CPR from their short course on how to save people. Kimi threw her head back, staring at the ceiling, tears pooling in her eyes. "Yun-yun doesn't like the party we're throwing for him!" she wailed.

Feeling as though this was a bit anti-climatic, Yuki got to his feet. But quickly her words sunk in, and Yuki remembered he had some serious kicking out to do.

But before words could fly out of the rat's mouth, the three instantly changed tactics.

As common with manga, Kakeru had steam flying out of his ears, his eyes squeezed tight, his mouth flying wide, and he hopped from side to side, not giving the impression he was demented, but that he was demented and having a temper tantrum. "Yeah, Kimi's right! We went through all this trouble of inviting everyone in the school—"

Yuki blanched: Surely the insane vice-president couldn't have invited the _entire _school. He had to have been lying. Not everyone, because if everyone came, he wouldn't just be having his space violated, Akito would be after him with vengeance. His life would be efficiently over if Akito heard about this.

"—and you don't share on bit of respect! You should at least let us party for _some_ time."

Akio, Kaito joined in, their voices escalating. Kimi was still giving banshee-like wails, and Yuki was sure that someone was going to give the police a call.

"Shut up!" Yuki yelled, trying to get some peace and quiet.

Instantly the foursome fell silent, waiting for the words that they wished to hear.

How could Yuki throw this party? He couldn't, that much was simple. Well, not exactly simple. Some of their words had sunk into Yuki, and as much as he hated it, he was beginning to like the idea. Not exactly like, he supposed, more of he didn't hate it that much. And besides, if he let the party he could kick everyone out much more easily.

But that still didn't justify the massive amount of work he would need to take to a) hide this from Akito, b) hide this from Shigure (who wouldn't want his house destroyed), c) hide this from Ayame (because doubtless he would try to do something extravagant, flashy, and useless), d) clean everything up, e) pay for the food and what not, f) and actually—

Yuki cut off his mental list.

There was someone in the doorway.

Someone he knew very well.

Or some days it seemed, not well enough.

Machi.

Machi had come.

Machi Kurgari, had come, in person, to a party. Machi the introvert. Machi with the troubled past.

How could Yuki refuse to throw a party when Machi finally had the courage to come?

_Somewhere else_

"We should go home, we've probably lost her by now," a furious orange-haired boy growled.

"No, I think she's found us." The man nest to the teen had obviously left his own teenage years behind in body, although the black-haired man certainly seemed young. His mind, however, still seemed to be a three-year-olds. "Besides, we've barely been gone half a day. We have to keep running and make it fu-un." The adult was pouting.

The orangey appealed to the brunette who was smiling still, though uneasily. "Come on, Tohru-kun— we should go. You want to sleep in your own bed, right?"

The black-haired man whispered something in the brunette's ear.

"O- o- oh-" she stuttered. "Maybe that isn't a good id—"

The man began whispering again persuasively. When he finished he winked at the girl.

"A- a- a- are you sure?"

"What the **** are you telling her?" The oragney's temper flared up.

The black-haired man grinned enigmatically.

"Perhaps we should keep on running." The girl ducked her head and was staring at her shoes.

"What?" the teen asked in utter disbelief, but the girl didn't want to repeat herself.

"Fine." The atmosphere was so tense you could have cut it. "We continue." He stormed ahead, infuriated again, refusing to speak to either one of the two. The man was excited, but you could clearly see the girl wasn't. After a moment, in which she seemed to be debating with herself, she stood tall again, and began smiling like a dolt.

_End somewhere else_

"Fine," Yuki snapped. "I'll throw the party."

The possibly insane foursome cheered, while Machi stared around Yuki's room. Yuki had a sudden flash of hope that Machi didn't have the same ability as Kakeru had, when he had 'translated' Yuki's homework.

After five-straight minutes of cheering, Machi spoke up. "Do I have to do anything else?" she asked of her brother.

* * *

Please R&R! Pretty please?


	5. Chapter 5: The Acceptance

I'm sorry that I took so long. Pretty please don't kill me?

Anyway, Machi might seem a little OOC. I never realized it before now, but she's a difficult character to write. XD Anyway, here's chapter 5.

* * *

Yuki felt like killing Manabe after his strategized plotting.

Unfortunately, he had already agreed. And whatever Yuki was, he was a man of his word.

Well, as 'man' as he could get, what with turning into a rat.

Kakeru turned to his younger, staring sister. "Nothing!" He dashed over and gave his sister a huge hug.

Yuki had a sudden flash of wanting to be able to do the same to Machi. _No,_ he told himself, immediately after having that thought. _Don't think like that. _"Guess what, Machi?" Kakeru yelled. "You're invited to a _party_!"

Machi froze. "This wasn't part of the deal," she muttered.

"It is now," Kakeru cried out joyfully, swinging Machi around.

"Don't swing her around!" Yuki yelped, trying to maintain some order of sanity.

Kimi got a mischievous glint in her eyes when she saw Yuki's reaction. She lunged for his history homework. Noticing her, Yuki realized in a flash that she was going to decipher more homework. Yuk barreled Kakeru, who was still swinging Machi around, and Akio and Kaito, who were still hugging each other and cheering, out to get the pretty, black haired girl.

_My life sucks_, he thought, as he lunged at the girl, trying to take his homework and not knock Kimi to the ground, however tempting it was.

"Ooh, another letter?" Kimi yelped delightedly. "Oh, Machi, our lo—_mm_!" Yuki had yanked the paper away from her, which stunned her.

"You're so _strong_, Yuki," she cooed. "Why don't you write me love letters?"

"That's it!" Yuki roared, efficiently shutting everyone up. "Everyone, downstairs!"

Meekly, Kimi, Kakeru, Akio, and Kaito shuffled downstairs. Thinking everyone was gone, Yuki leaned on the wall behind him, sighing deeply. Of course, it was just like Kakeru and Kimi to throw a party at his house for him. He supposed that since Kyo wasn't here, —thank God— Akio and Kaito had to find someone else to torment. But why him?

"President?" a voice asked quietly.

Yuki's eyes shot open to see Machi standing near him. Absentmindedly, he noticed that she wasn't wearing the school uniform, for the first time since he'd met her. She had a short-sleeved shirt with a v-neck that…

Yuki looked away, disgusted with himself. This was what he'd come to? That was on Shigure's level.

"Um," Machi said.

Yuki said the first thing on his mind. "I'm sorry, I just— been living with him for too long—"

"I don't care about the yelling," Machi stated simply.

"Oh— of course you don't," Yuki amended, then berated himself for being an idiot. She could care if she wanted to, it wasn't up to him to decide—

She seemed to summon up her bravery before asking, "What was Kimi saying before?"

Yuki laughed nervously. "You never know with Kimi. Come on, let's go down with everybody else." He opened the door, waiting for Machi to go through. After a moment's hesitation, she did.

_Downstairs_

Kakeru had located the closet, and was now digging through it with gusto. "Hey Yun-yun!" he yelled. "You don't have any good food in here! Oh, yeah, here it is!" he revised, pulling out a large bag of potato chips. Opening it and devouring a handful of chips, he slung his arm around Yuki. "There's no junk food!" He inhaled another handful, before Akio and Kaito fell on it like Komodo dragons. **(A/N Komodo dragons eat everything; skin, fur, bones, etc.)**

"That how you keep your girlish figure then, Yun-yun?" he asked, elbowing Yuki in the side. Kaito paused long enough in eating the potato chips to laugh, spraying Akio with crumbs.

As revenge, Akio lunged at him, tackling him to the ground and shoving him into a counter, crushing the chips. They turned into a rolling mass of fists, eventually moving into the living room and slamming against the couch, where they stopped fighting, and collapsed into laughter.

"Ooh! Kimi knows what we should do!" Kimi exclaimed, clapping her hands together. She was perched on the counter, swinging her legs happily. "There's a new American food place around the corner. They serve this pizza thing! We should order it for the party!"

At the mention of party, Akio, Kaito, and Kakeru sobered up immediately. Well, as sober as they could get.

"And a keg!" Akio cheered, Kaito slapping him a high-five.

"I can't buy a keg," Yuki protested.

"Of course you can," Kakeru grinned. "All you need to do is—"

But Yuki wasn't there anymore, he was sitting in the corner while Akito yelled and screamed. He had found out about the party… "What made you think… useless rat…" And a sing-songy voice echoing in his head the entire time, "unnecessary, unnecessary, unnecessary…" He blinked hard, bringing himself back into reality. "No keg," Yuki said firmly, much to the comical disappointment of Akio and Kaito.

Actually, the more he thought of it, the stupider the idea became. There were a thousand and one reasons not to have the party.

As if sensing his thoughts, Kakeru cajoled, "C'mon, Commander, you can't cancel the party! I even got Shigure-chan to okay it!"

_Flashback_

"Shigure-chan!" Kakeru yelled, bouncing along the side of the road.

The older man turned, and gave Kakeru a thumbs up. "Kakeru-kun!" But there was something furtive in the way Shigure looked around that had Kakeru demanding an explanation.

"It's my editor," Shigure admitted in a low whisper. "I don't have my manuscript, and she's going to kill me."

Kakeru's eyes were round.

"So I'm going to the states with Kyo-kun and Tohru-kun!" Shigure announced proudly, momentarily forgetting that Mitsuru might be around.

"That's so awesome!" Kakeru exploded, hopping up and down. After a moment, he realized that Shigure hadn't said Yuki. "What about Yun-yun?"

"He's not here," Shigure said by way of explanation.

"Aw, right! Student council!" Kakeru slapped his forehead, turning to go. As he did, a brilliant, wonderful idea came to him in a blast. "Hey Shigure-chan!" he screamed, and Shigure winced, looking around. No Mitsuru... yet…

"Can I throw a party for Yun-yun? Can I, can I, can I?" he asked/demanded, acting a little like a dog begging for food.

Shigure seemed just as excited as Kakeru.

_End flashback_

Yuki turned to the side, clenching his fist. _I'm going to kill that **** dog,_ he thought, imagining Shigure's stupid smile. _I will murder him, throw him into a very, very deep ditch…_

"Aw, don't get mad, Yun-yun," Kakeru said, thumping Yuki on the back. "Your house will be the place to _be_ tonight!" he cheered, with echoing war cries from Akio and Kaito.

"Why is Yun-yun mad?" Kimi said, eyes filling with tears. "Doesn't he like the party we're helping him throw?" She turned away, tears cascading down her face.

"Don't— cry—" Yuki said in a strangled voice. Dammit, every time Student Council showed up, his life got more and more complicated.

He glanced at Machi. She hadn't said a word since they went downstairs, instead standing next to the wall, watching the scene unfold silently.

Machi had come. She'd listened to her brother and had come.

In the shadowy light, she looked almost like Tohru. And Tohru had always managed to put others before herself. Even when she should have focused on herself.

Well, fine. Yuki was trying to change. Maybe throwing this party would actually do something good. Yuki doubted it, but for the sake of everyone here…

He would do it.


End file.
